From the moment I arrived, I noticed Amsterdam’s transportation. Cobblestone streets, rows of bicycles, dedicated bike lanes, and canals filled with boats all work together to keep the city moving. Coming from Pittsburgh, the difference has been impossible to ignore. At home, most people get around by driving or taking the bus. Whether I’m catching…
Reflections of a Seoulmester
It’s been three weeks since I arrived back home from Seoul, and I’ve had plenty of time to reflect on my experience. Although being back in my childhood bedroom can feel like no time has passed since I was packing for my fateful departure five months ago, I know I have come back a different…
A Lesson Learned the Hard Way in Hong Kong
Being in an unfamiliar place is exciting. Everything is new and different: the culture, the food, the architecture, and… wildlife. I’ve encountered wildlife here that can only be seen at a zoo back home in America. When I say encounter, I mean it was a CLOSE encounter. The story I am about to recall was…
Grazie Roma!
My time in Rome has come and gone, and it was truly an incredible experience that I will not soon forget. Coming to Rome, I had heard so much about the “Eternal City” in history classes in grammar school and high school and in urban planning courses at Pitt, but seeing and experiencing the sites…
Hasta luego, Buenos Aires
Hello everyone, this is Sam checking in one last time from Buenos Aires! My time here has come to a close, so I thought I’d share some reflections on my study abroad experience as a whole. I arrived in Buenos Aires in February to study with both local Argentine students and other international students, and…
How My Host Culture Defines Success
One of the biggest lessons I have learned during my international internship has been that success can be defined very differently depending on the culture you are working in. Before coming abroad, I had certain expectations about what it meant to be a successful intern based on my previous work experiences in the United States….
Water Features (and World Cups!)
I have reached the halfway point of my study abroad experience in Spain! Midterms this week weren’t too difficult, so this weekend I took a few day trips with both my program as a whole and with friends! First, the entire program took a day trip to Segovia. This is a medieval town with a…
Comfort in Community
Starting this program, I’m not exactly sure what my expectations were for my internship. I guess I thought that, like many times in the U.S, I would be a grunt of sorts. I would help out where I could, stay out of the way as much as possible, and keep things cordial with my coworkers….
Three Weeks in Oxford
After three weeks at Lady Margaret Hall College, Oxford University, I’ve completed my first course, which was about the history of fantasy literature. It was truly excellent, some of the best teaching I’ve ever had, and I was also delighted by the passion and curiosity of my classmates. It was really exciting to be in…
Reflecting on My Time in Paris
As I begin my eight hour flight back to America, I decided that there was no better way to kill time than to complete my final blog post entry! With all of this time ahead of me, I have had the chance to reflect on my time abroad and everything that I have experienced in…